He dazzled us with his try-scoring acrobatics, and his commitment to the cause during some really tough times for the club made him a favourite among Newcastle's army of Knights fans. But is the final siren about to sound on the playing career of late-blooming winger Nathan Ross? We're hearing it is a possibility. With everyone at the Knights focused on last night's season opener against the Sharks, Ross' latest injury setback - a recurrence of the groin and pelvic problems he suffered last season - has stayed under the radar over the past few weeks. He had already been sidelined for up to five weeks with a compound finger dislocation and would not have featured in the round one team for the Sharks anyway, even if he had been fully fit and not re-torn his groin at training a few weeks back. But word is his latest setback will require further surgery and there has been suggestions he may even be considering retirement. That could all hinge on whether there are any grounds for Ross to apply for a medical retirement and be fully paid out his contract, something that would largely hinge on the diagnosis of specialists and whether the injury can be adequately repaired. If they say it can be, Ross would need to have the surgery done again and hope it is far more successful the second time around. Whether he could then fight his way back into the NRL or would have the desire to try is questionable. When quizzed on Ross' injury this week and the retirement rumours, Knights coach Nathan Brown said he was largely in the dark. "You'd need to talk to Rossy or someone far more medically qualified than me to answer that," Brown said. Ironically, Ross' management had still been exploring his playing options elsewhere after being told by the Knights last September he would be free to go if another opportunity came up. He still has this year and next year to run on his $350,000-a-season contract but it's been common knowledge that Ross, 31 later this year, was facing a battle to fit into Brown's plans following the recruitment of Edrick Lee and Hymel Hunt and the emergence of some talented youngsters. Knights player list manager Troy Pezet told us back in September: "We are going to have a lot of competition in the outside backs. "At this point, we have just told his management that if there is an opportunity for Rossy to go and better himself and get a better opportunity at this stage of his career somewhere else, he's got the opportunity to do that." It has been a long and mentally taxing 11 months for Knights centre Tautau Moga after he suffered his fourth serious knee injury last season against the Dragons back in round four. So there were plenty of pats on the back yesterday when he got through his first test of his newly reconstructed knee. Moga made a low-key return to footy in the Knights' NSW Cup clash against Newtown. I counted four touches and as many tackles in a 30 minute cameo that saw him get through unscathed without a hitch. Barring injuries elsewhere, the plan is to give him a longer stint next week before he is considered for an NRL return. Of course, that all hinges on Moga getting the all clear to continue playing after he fronts Newcastle Local Court on Thursday to answer a charge of assaulting a taxi driver on Boxing Day last year. Who is the most improved player at the Knights? If you asked assistant coach Rory Kostjasyn the question, there is a fair chance Chris Randall would figure in the conversation. The Lakes United hooker has been one of the standouts in the NSW Cup squad over the summer and was outstanding at five-eighth in the club's win over Newtown last night. Newcastle Jets coach Ernie Merrick would never claim any credit for their success but something we didn't know is the A-League premiership-winner was at one stage kicking coach for the Melbourne Storm. It has become a tradition at the Knights for players [and staff] making their NRL debuts for the club to have to get up and sing or dance in front of the rest of the group at the end of the captain's run the day before the game. The general consensus after the latest crop of players and staff were put through their paces on Thursday was it's lucky they have the footy to fall back on. Big winger Edrick Lee, who featured on the back page of this paper delivering his version of Ain't No Mountain High Enough on Thursday, was apparently the star of the show with his dance moves a big hit with teammates. But there wasn't a great deal to beat according to our spies close enough to hear the boys in action. For the record, some of the others who featured were Jesse Ramien [The Horses], Tim Glasby [Chicken Fry], Kurt Mann [Follow Me] and David Klemmer [Your Man]. New high performance boss Balin Cupples didn't win rave reviews for Lover You Don't Treat Me No Good while his staffer Anthony Wood probably won't get a gig with the Jacksons after not hitting the right note with ABC. We're told a close second to Lee was assistant coach Kristan Woolfe, who got plenty of cred for knowing all the words to the first verse of rap song Ice Ice Baby. Former Knight Kurt Gidley is kicking plenty of goals with workforce recruitment agency Protech in Newcastle. And the association is proving highly beneficial to the Knights with Protech forming a partnership with the club's Under 20's and placing the likes of Isaac Lee, Lochlan Turnbull, Dylan Lucas, Samuel Kamu, Bonowai Baledrokadroka and Luke Huth in employment. Still on the Gidley family, Scone local Dudley Laing got the shock of his life during the week to be served by Hall of Famer Matt when he went in for a feed at his local McDonalds outlet. But don't think the former Kangaroos centre is doing it tough since finishing up as Knights CEO. Gidley is actually completing the long process of becoming a McDonalds franchise owner and has been travelling up to Scone to complete his training for the job.

He dazzled us with his try-scoring acrobatics, and his commitment to the cause during some really tough times for the club made him a favourite among Newcastle's army of Knights fans.

But is the final siren about to sound on the playing career of late-blooming winger Nathan Ross? We're hearing it is a possibility.

With everyone at the Knights focused on last night's season opener against the Sharks, Ross' latest injury setback - a recurrence of the groin and pelvic problems he suffered last season - has stayed under the radar over the past few weeks.

He had already been sidelined for up to five weeks with a compound finger dislocation and would not have featured in the round one team for the Sharks anyway, even if he had been fully fit and not re-torn his groin at training a few weeks back.

But word is his latest setback will require further surgery and there has been suggestions he may even be considering retirement.

Nathan Ross

That could all hinge on whether there are any grounds for Ross to apply for a medical retirement and be fully paid out his contract, something that would largely hinge on the diagnosis of specialists and whether the injury can be adequately repaired.

If they say it can be, Ross would need to have the surgery done again and hope it is far more successful the second time around. Whether he could then fight his way back into the NRL or would have the desire to try is questionable.

When quizzed on Ross' injury this week and the retirement rumours, Knights coach Nathan Brown said he was largely in the dark.

"You'd need to talk to Rossy or someone far more medically qualified than me to answer that," Brown said.

Ironically, Ross' management had still been exploring his playing options elsewhere after being told by the Knights last September he would be free to go if another opportunity came up.

He still has this year and next year to run on his $350,000-a-season contract but it's been common knowledge that Ross, 31 later this year, was facing a battle to fit into Brown's plans following the recruitment of Edrick Lee and Hymel Hunt and the emergence of some talented youngsters.

Knights player list manager Troy Pezet told us back in September: "We are going to have a lot of competition in the outside backs.

"At this point, we have just told his management that if there is an opportunity for Rossy to go and better himself and get a better opportunity at this stage of his career somewhere else, he's got the opportunity to do that."

Moga returns

It has been a long and mentally taxing 11 months for Knights centre Tautau Moga after he suffered his fourth serious knee injury last season against the Dragons back in round four.

So there were plenty of pats on the back yesterday when he got through his first test of his newly reconstructed knee.

Moga made a low-key return to footy in the Knights' NSW Cup clash against Newtown. I counted four touches and as many tackles in a 30 minute cameo that saw him get through unscathed without a hitch.

Tautau Moga

Barring injuries elsewhere, the plan is to give him a longer stint next week before he is considered for an NRL return.

Of course, that all hinges on Moga getting the all clear to continue playing after he fronts Newcastle Local Court on Thursday to answer a charge of assaulting a taxi driver on Boxing Day last year.

On the rise

Who is the most improved player at the Knights?

If you asked assistant coach Rory Kostjasyn the question, there is a fair chance Chris Randall would figure in the conversation.

Chris Randall

The Lakes United hooker has been one of the standouts in the NSW Cup squad over the summer and was outstanding at five-eighth in the club's win over Newtown last night.

Stormin' Ernie

Newcastle Jets coach Ernie Merrick would never claim any credit for their success but something we didn't know is the A-League premiership-winner was at one stage kicking coach for the Melbourne Storm.

Ernie Merrick

Right on key

It has become a tradition at the Knights for players [and staff] making their NRL debuts for the club to have to get up and sing or dance in front of the rest of the group at the end of the captain's run the day before the game.

The general consensus after the latest crop of players and staff were put through their paces on Thursday was it's lucky they have the footy to fall back on.

Big winger Edrick Lee, who featured on the back page of this paper delivering his version of Ain't No Mountain High Enough on Thursday, was apparently the star of the show with his dance moves a big hit with teammates.

But there wasn't a great deal to beat according to our spies close enough to hear the boys in action.

For the record, some of the others who featured were Jesse Ramien [The Horses], Tim Glasby [Chicken Fry], Kurt Mann [Follow Me] and David Klemmer [Your Man].

New high performance boss Balin Cupples didn't win rave reviews for Lover You Don't Treat Me No Good while his staffer Anthony Wood probably won't get a gig with the Jacksons after not hitting the right note with ABC.

Edrick Lee singing Ain't No Mountain High Enough

We're told a close second to Lee was assistant coach Kristan Woolfe, who got plenty of cred for knowing all the words to the first verse of rap song Ice Ice Baby.

On the job

Former Knight Kurt Gidley is kicking plenty of goals with workforce recruitment agency Protech in Newcastle.

And the association is proving highly beneficial to the Knights with Protech forming a partnership with the club's Under 20's and placing the likes of Isaac Lee, Lochlan Turnbull, Dylan Lucas, Samuel Kamu, Bonowai Baledrokadroka and Luke Huth in employment.

Kurt Gidley

Maccas surprise

Still on the Gidley family, Scone local Dudley Laing got the shock of his life during the week to be served by Hall of Famer Matt when he went in for a feed at his local McDonalds outlet.

But don't think the former Kangaroos centre is doing it tough since finishing up as Knights CEO.

Gidley is actually completing the long process of becoming a McDonalds franchise owner and has been travelling up to Scone to complete his training for the job.